***Official 23rd Annual HTF October Scary Movie Challenge 2022*** (1 Viewer)

[John Stell]

1. Watch 13 Scary/Horror/Halloween-Themed films, etc. from midnight October 1, 2022 through October 31, 2022 (use your own time zone to set the ending time).

2. Theatrically released films and short features count as 1 point each. Running times are irrelevant. TV specials (e.g. "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown!") and individual episodes of anthology TV series (e.g. "The Twilight Zone") also count as 1 point each. For episodic TV series, 2 hour-long episodes (e.g. "The Walking Dead") count as 1 point and 3 episodes of 30 minute-long episodes (e.g. "The Munsters") count as 1 point.

3. Two of the 13 films, et. al. must be new discoveries, movies you've never seen before. The point of this is to see those few movies you've always meant to see, but never got around to. Please specify new discoveries in your film list by making them bold, adding asterisks, different colors, etc.

4. Come here and talk about 'em.

5. There is an uber-category, the Ultimate Splatter Challenge for those who wish to put all of the rest of us to shame. This is the heavyweight division. These people, if they choose to accept the challenge, must view 31 horror/scary/Halloween themed movies before dawn on Nov. 1st. Ten new discoveries are recommended for this one. The rest of us will bow down in awed reverence to these truly "Splatterific" HTF members. The bragging rights will be awesome and long lived. What movies qualify? If you wanna include it, go for it. There will be no hairsplitting. If The Wizard of Oz sends you to the dresser for a fresh pair of boxer shorts, all the power.

6. At the end of the challenge, the totals will be added up based on the point system outlined in number 2 above.

2021 Challenge Results (new discoveries in parentheses):

TravisS 143 (2)
BobO'Link 132 (53)
Michael Elliott 128 (76)
JasonRoer 127 (46)
John Stell 121 (10)
Ruz-El 92 (59)
BryanH 57 (21)
Dpippel 53 (9)
Sleroi 36 (16)
Neil Middlemiss 31 (18)
Malcolm R 29 (11)
Jeff Flugel 27 (20)
HawksFord 26 (7)
Tony Bensley 20 (4)

 

[Malcolm R]

I'll most likely bend the "Thriller is a horror" film aplenty trying to find things not too gory/scary with mom in the evenings since I'm still caretaking her as she's 84. (Not complaining).

Also getting ready to re-start movie nights this fall with my mom (who's 76), though she doesn't mind some gore. She mentioned recently that she heard that there's a new "SAW" movie coming out soon.

 

[BobO'Link]

My oldest grandkids (12 & 16 - their 20yo brother is living with my wife and me at the moment) came over a couple of days ago and asked if I'd watch the "Classic Universal" horror movies with them next month... Hmmm... not sure I'll have time as it *is* horror movie month... I actually find it a bit humorous that they think they have to ask.

 

[JasonRoer]

I had never thought of Robocop as a horror movie previously, however, I definitely see how one could attribute a Frankenstein-like spin to it. I'm not sure I personally would call it a horror movie, however, with the rules being as flexible as they are, I do think if one chose to watch it, hey, that's their choice, and think it should count. I seem to recall the rules including something to the effect of "If Wizard of Oz scares you go ahead and count it."

As an aside - thanks everyone for making me want to watch Robocop now! I'd been thinking about it for a while now, but I've been on a strict horror (what I consider horror at least) diet for a few weeks now. It may have to wait until November.

 

[Michael Elliott]

The old "what is a horror film" subject. It's such a fascinating one to have. I'd certainly include ROBOCOP. I mean, I see JAWS as more of an action film. Plus, Roger Ebert made a terrific claim as to why PINOCCHIO was the greatest horror movie ever made.

The "horror film" versus "horror elements" is always a tricky subject and very subjective.

 

[BobO'Link]

The old "what is a horror film" subject. It's such a fascinating one to have. I'd certainly include ROBOCOP. I mean, I see JAWS as more of an action film. Plus, Roger Ebert made a terrific claim as to why PINOCCHIO was the greatest horror movie ever made.

The "horror film" versus "horror elements" is always a tricky subject and very subjective.

Yep - I've never considered JAWS to be a horror film, though *lots* of people do. I just accept it.

When I was ~5yo I'd get terribly frightened whenever Superman (on The Adventures of Superman) came into contact with Kryptonite - to the point I'd often hide my eyes until he got free. It's not horror in any way now but my 5yo self was scared silly.

I was watching Barbarella with my daughter when she was ~6. As soon as the metal teeth dolls came on screen she bailed in spite of my telling her it wasn't real and they weren't hurting Barbarella in the least. I stopped the movie and we watched some Looney Tunes instead.

When my oldest granddaughter was ~6 I attempted to introduce her to Frankenstein (1931) as that's about how old I was when I first saw it (I don't remember it scaring me in the least - Dracula (1931), though...) and the age I'd introduced it to her older brother. She was fine until the monster moved and groaned. She immediately left the room and refused to come back. Her brother (then age 9) and I finished the viewing and then put on something lighter so she'd come back.

I've heard stories of wet seats in theaters that ran The Jungle Book (1967) due to younger patrons being so scared they'd wet their pants.

I've *never* found clowns to be scary (stupid and unfunny, but not scary), yet a coworker is terribly frightened of them and won't even look at them, much less watch them in a movie - especially if it's a horror movie. I tried to get him to watch Killer Klowns from Outer Space - nope... not going to happen. And, to me, it's a comedy with some *very* mild horror elements.

 

[JasonRoer]

When my youngest son was 2, I had him watching and loving Nightmare Before Christmas despite all the creatures, and we went into every Halloween store we could find to look at all the animatronics and nastiness. It was then I considered myself a successful parent. I've failed miserably ever since, but those were some gold-star-on-the-fridge moments for me.

 

[Michael Elliott]

I’m away at a music festival but I’ll probably start the new thread tomorrow if that’s okay. If anyone has any suggestions or anything they want on the main post just let me know. It’ll probably be sometime tomorrow once I’m off work but I’m open to suggestions or whatever.

 

[Wayne_j]

I would include Jaws and Jurassic Park as horror.

 

[TravisR]

I don't think I ever saw a video store with Jaws in the horror section and I always thought that was crazy.

 

[Radioman970]

I saw Jaws with my dad when it first came out and it certainly scared me to death! Horror yessireee!

Here's a test question. When you first saw it did you jump just after he takes the shark tooth from under that boat?!! Don't wait for the translation!!! :p

I upgraded my JAWs collection this year. Jaws 4k, the rest blu ray with the 3rd in 3D. I have a few others out to watch as well. Open Water collection, The Reef, The Shallows and Meg 3d. I think I'll start mine on friday with Jaws or Halloween since I just picked up Halloween ends 4k (and a few others).

 

[BobO'Link]

 

[JasonRoer]

I was reportedly born because of Jaws. Rumor has it that my mother and father were away with friends at the beach. They all watched Jaws in the theater and my mother was subsequently frightened to go in the water. She and my father stayed behind and I guess they got down to it. The scariest part is that, if true, it means they can pinpoint when I was conceived, and you all know what that means - apparently they did not engage in such activities often. That is the number 1 reason Jaws should be considered a horror flick.

Either way - thanks, Spielberg! I'm happy to be alive.